Trilobites in the Wilderness
Meet: 9am Saturday 3/7 at USC village
Return: 7pm Sunday 3/8
Member: $54 Non member: $71
Activity: Fossil hunting, hiking, rock scrambling, camping
Difficulty: (4/10) Medium Distance: 6 miles / 9.7 km Elevation: 800 ft / 244 m
Recommended Prior Experience: Some hiking and camping experience recommended
Location of Trip: Trilobite Wilderness, Mojave National Preserve
Native Land: Kawaiisu, Kitanemuk
Do you yearn for prehistoric times? If so, join Keira and Sedona on an epic fossil hunting adventure in the Trilobite Wilderness and Mojave National Preserve. We will leave at 9am on Saturday morning: our first stop will be a 3-mile round-trip hike to an awesome extinct cinder cone volcano (Amboy Crater), where we will enjoy our lunches. Then we’ll head to our campsite for the night near Kelso Dunes and spend some time playing in the sand and feeling the vibrations of the “booming dunes”. Sedona and Keira will cook up a scrumptious dinner and we’ll do some stargazing before heading to bed and resting up for the long day of fossil digging ahead. Note that we will be camping at an undeveloped site with no bathroom or other facilities. Be prepared for a chilly night and pack layers. On Sunday, we’ll wake up early and drive to the Trilobite Quarry where we will spend the day rock scrambling and searching for Cambrian era fossils! We will provide the necessary tools and eye protection. Don’t fret if you don’t have any luck at the quarry- we’ve got a special surprise for you to take home.
Contact the Guides:
Sedona Silva (slsilva@usc.edu)
Keira Norrell (knorrell@usc.edu)
What to Bring:
*REMINDER (overnights only) : if you do not have a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpacking pack, or other technical gear (non-clothing), do not panic, SC Outfitters has these items for you! Your guides will send out a gear-request form the week of your trip where you’ll let them know what gear you need!
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Mess kit (utensils and bowl/plate/tupperware)
3+ liters of water
Hat/sunscreen/sunglasses
Comfortable hiking shoes
Comfortable hiking clothes
Toiletries/medications
Headlamp/flashlight
Warm clothes for night/sleeping
Price of the trip includes (and we will provide):
Snacks
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided when a trip occurs during meal-times
Any technical gear required (ie. kayaks, snowshoes, snorkels, backpacking packs, sleeping bags, fishing rods, etc.)
All group / shared gear (tents, stoves, bear cans, first aid kit, etc.)
Any permits or campsite reservations needed
Cost of gas reimbursed for participant drivers
Amazing guides who love the outdoors and do this for free!
Please Review Our Cancellation and Refund Policy:
All SC Outfitters trips have a no-refund policy unless a substitute participant can be found. In the event your trip requires added reporting measures of participants (plane tickets, external providers, rental services, etc.) dropping the trip close to the date of the trip will not allow for the spot to be re-filled. See the details on trip pages for specific deadlines and reference our complete cancellation/refund policy here.
TRIP DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM
Difficulty rating for trips
1: No physical activity.
2: Leisurely walk.
3: 2-5 miles less than 1000 ft of total elevation gain on well maintained trails. About 2-3 hours continuous activity
4: 4-6 miles, about 1000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. About 3 hours of continuous activity.
5: 6-8 miles, about 1500ft of elevation gain on maintained trials. 4-5 hours continuous activity
6: 8-10 miles, about 2000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. 4-6 hours of continuous activity.
7: 10-14 miles, over 2500 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
8: At high altitude. 12-16 total miles, over 3000 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
9: Technical skills may be necessary. At high altitude with physical elevation gain. Scrambling over rocks likely involved.
10: u gunna die
**If you have any questions or concerns about the physical activity, recommended prior experience, or gear needed on any kind of trip please contact the guides as soon as possible!!
This program is open to all eligible individuals. SC Outfitters operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.
Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact the guides listed above on the trip page. We request that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least 7 days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.